Tunnelling work completed on Eglinton Crosstown LRT
Posted August 17, 2016 11:51 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Work crews have finished tunnelling the 10-kilometre underground tunnel of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT).
Boring machines ‘Don’ and ‘Humber’ – working on the eastern segment of the line – travelled 3,000 metres from near Brentcliffe Road in September 2015, arriving at Yonge Street on Wednesday.
‘Dennis’ and ‘Lea’ completed tunnelling on the western portion of the crosstown, reaching Yonge in May of this year.
“We are making considerable progress on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT line. The completion of tunnelling is a significant step for the project and will provide19 kilometres of new rapid transit for Toronto,” Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca said in a statement.
Watch video of the tunnelling below, or click here to view it.
Construction on the crosstown started in 2011 and is scheduled to finish by 2021.
The LRT promises to be 60 per cent faster than existing bus service and will have 25 stations and stops along Eglinton Avenue between Weston Road and Kennedy Station. It will also link to 54 bus routes, three TTC interchange subway stations and GO Transit.
By 2031, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is expected to carry around 5,500 passengers per hour during peak travel times, and an estimated ridership of about 50 million each year.
Earlier this year, construction began on the first crosstown station at Keelesdale Station, at Keele Street and Eglinton Avenue.
Related stories:
Construction begins on first Eglinton Crosstown LRT station
Metrolinx says LRT construction noise within acceptable levels
Eglinton residents decry chopping down mature trees for LRT construction
